Relocation
by Elizabeth Goode
Summary: A raccoon in the clubhouse prompts Trixie and Jim to seek help from Mr. Maypenny, and Jim struggles to understand the strained relationship between Regan and Dan.
1. Chapter 1

Relocation

By Elizabeth Goode

* * *

As Jim Frayne approached the Bob-Whites' clubhouse, he was surprised to hear something solid impact the wall, followed by a shriek. He froze. _What in the ..._

His question was answered as the door burst open, and Trixie shot outside. Her forehead was shining with perspiration, some of her blond curls plastered to her face. She staggered toward him, literally right into his arms.

Alarm flooded through him at her distinctly un-Trixie-like behavior. Nice as it was to have Trixie in his arms, it wasn't exactly normal behavior for her to be so - so _girly._

"Trix?"

She straightened up immediately, clearly embarrassed by her actions.

"There's a raccoon in the clubhouse! A big one!"

His hand remained on her shoulder to steady her, and he could feel the nervous tension still running through her petite frame.

"What happened?"

"I came down to the clubhouse to look for my missing library book, and noticed that there was a window open toward the back, with the skis and the camping equipment. I found my book on the sofa and it was shredded. That kind of freaked me out, so I started to sit down on the sofa to think about what might have happened, and I noticed a really gross mess on the sofa. I think it had babies in the clubhouse!"

He couldn't help his immediate reaction, even as he realized that he sounded like Di Lynch. "Eew."

"Eew is right! Then, from out of nowhere, this huge furry thing came flying at me! I'd closed the door, so I was trapped in there with it, and it was really ticked off to be sharing space with me!" She shook her head, causing her curls to bounce. "I wasn't even sure what it was at first because it's starting to get dark, and it was just such a surprise. I thought I was shut in with a Tasmanian Devil or something from the noises it was making!"

Jim gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Don't apologize. Raccoons are wild animals, and they're as dangerous as anything if they're cornered. If it did ... procreate in there, we're going to have one heck of a mess to deal with. Who left the window open anyway?"

Trixie's brow furrowed in a frown. "Brian Belden, that's who! He was in there last night digging for his ice skates."

"Looks like he's going to be paying for your library book." Jim cautiously opened the door just a crack, peering around the corner. A vicious snarl from inside the clubhouse caused him to slam the door hastily. "Yeah, it's ticked off all right."

"How are we going to get it out? I mean, without having to get a series of rabies shots?" Trixie looked up at Jim hopefully. "Say, you're the woodsman of the group - how _do_ you get an angry raccoon out of a small space without losing an eye?"

He thought for a moment. "Well ... it's mostly likely not rabid. Seriously, I wish I'd never mentioned that mad weasel!"

Trixie laughed. "Little did you know that one tale would spark mass paranoia among your friends!"

"If she's got babies, I'd hate to see her separated from them. We need to set a humane trap, and take the whole little family out into the preserve for a little raccoon witness relocation. They've seen too much."

Giggling, Trixie asked, "Do we know anyone who has a humane trap?"

He shrugged. "I bet Mr. Maypenny does. Fancy a ride?"

"Sure thing!" She agreed excitedly. "We really should leave a note or something on the clubhouse. I'd hate to see the rest of the Bob-Whites get a nasty surprise. Except maybe Brian."

Jim had been headed to the clubhouse to work on writing a paper for his Literature class, and so he had his backpack with him. He dug around for a notebook and a pen, and hastily scrawled, "DO NOT ENTER. Raccoon in Clubhouse. Gone to Maypenny's for humane trap. Jim and Trixie." He tore off the sheet of paper and passed it to Trixie, who went to work securing it on the front door. On a second sheet he wrote, "Here there be monsters." On a third, "Abandon hope all ye who enter ..."

Trixie laughed. "I should put that one up on Bobby's bedroom door. That kid makes me look like a neat freak. He doesn't so much sleep on his bed as he does sort of nest in it." 


	2. Chapter 2

Relocation Part II

By Elizabeth Goode

* * *

The two teenagers headed over to the stables, where they found Regan preparing to exercise Strawberry. The tall, red-haired groom listened as they related their story with a grin. "I think it's a good idea to get Maypenny's help on this one - I'd hate to see either of you get bitten. He's been working with wild things since before either of you were born. Say, while you're down there, could you give Dan a message?"

Stroking Strawberry's mane gently, Trixie said, "Sure, Regan. What's the message?"

"That he needs to get up to the stables and meet me for dinner. I haven't seen the kid in days! Now, I don't want to put you two on the spot, but if you don't mind telling me ... how's Danny getting along?"

Smiling, Trixie replied, "He's doing really well. I know I was kind of a pill when he first got here, but I'm really glad he came and that he's a Bob-White now, too. Bobby is absolutely crazy about him, and Mart is in seventh heaven having him around - I think he felt like it was about time he had someone around his own age to pal around with." She looked up at Jim, patting him on the shoulder. "I think Mart felt like Brian got Jim, I got Honey, and who was he left with? Di? In his dreams!"

"Hey, now," Jim said as he leaned against the corral railing, "There's enough Jim to go around. You don't have to fight over me." He grinned, feeling a little bit giddy with the knowledge that not only did he _have_ friends and a brand new family, but also that said friends and family craved his attention as much as he did theirs.

Trixie shot him a look that conveyed amusement and sincere emotion simultaneously. His heart soared, just for a moment before he came back down to earth. Dan was going through something similar to what he had experienced not so long ago himself - gaining new family and friends and all of the confusion, happiness, and apprehension that came with it. The very least he could do was be a friend to the guy - even if he didn't entirely like the way the newest BWG looked at Trixie sometimes. He had often wondered why Regan had opted to have Dan live with Mr. Maypenny instead of taking him in himself, but that was a question he didn't feel comfortable asking, at least not yet.

Instead, he assured Regan that Dan was settling in well, and that the Bob-Whites were each doing their part to make him feel as welcome as possible. "Don't worry too much just because he doesn't come up here too often. The Manor House is a little bit intimidating to someone who's new around here. Take it from me. Sometimes, when I'm home alone, I still like to wander into the gallery and try my hand at yodeling, just to hear the echo."

This earned him a laugh from Regan and a snicker from Trixie, who added, "And sometimes, when you _think_ you're home alone, and your sister just happens to overhear you and nearly die laughing!"

He flushed furiously at the memory, but offered a good-natured grin. "What I was trying to get at is that maybe instead of expecting him to come up here, you should go to him and bring him up here, to show him that it's okay."

Thoughtfully, Regan nodded. "That makes sense. I was trying to give him space, but if he's trying to give me space at the same time, he may graduate from high school before I can manage to have a decent conversation with him." He glanced at Trixie and Jim, then back down toward the clubhouse. "I guess I've taken up enough of your time - I have to get Strawberry here some exercise, and you two need to get Mr. Maypenny to help with the beast. Thanks for the advice, you two, and don't forget to bring my nephew with you when you come back. Jupiter hasn't been exercised today, so you should take him, and Trixie, you can have your pick between Lady, Starlight, and Susie."

After saddling Susie and Jupiter, they headed through the game preserve for Mr. Maypenny's cottage. The sound of wood being chopped rang through the trees long before the house came into view. Outside of the cabin, Mr. Maypenny and Dan were working on building up a supply of wood for the wood stove that would heat the cabin through the winter. Dan was loading some of it into a wheelbarrow when he caught sight of Trixie and Jim. He put the wheelbarrow down, and waved to them excitedly.

"Hi guys! What brings you out here?" Dan brushed wood debris off of his shirt and self-consciously ran a hand through his dark hair to brush out any sawdust.

Trixie spoke first. "We actually came out to get Mr. Maypenny's help." She paused, waiting for the elderly gamekeeper to join them. "There's a really big raccoon in the Bob-White clubhouse and it had babies on the sofa, and it's all Brian's fault because he left the back window open, and it tried to eat my library book!"

Dan looked amused at her rapid-fire delivery of the events. "Can't say I'm sorry to have missed that particular adventure. I'm still not a hundred percent comfortable with all of the aspects of country life. I probably would have screamed like a girl and run for my life."

She shrugged. "That's pretty much what I did. I just about ran Jim over on my way out of there!"

Jim addressed Mr. Maypenny. "Since she's got babies, I thought the best thing to do would be set a humane trap for big momma and catch the kids by hand so we can release them out in the preserve as a family. Wearing gloves, of course. I wouldn't want the babies to smell like human and confuse the mother."

Mr. Maypenny nodded his approval. "Good thinking, Jim. I'll come back with you kids and take care of it myself. I know of a spot in the preserve that would be perfect for a mother raccoon with a family to consider. Right by a stream, empty hollow tree - it's prime real estate."

Excitedly, Trixie clapped her hands together. "Can I help catch the babies? I'll be really careful!"

The gamekeeper smiled kindly at her. "Of course you can. You too, Jim. Daniel - if you want to, you can come too. I don't expect you to tame any wild animals unless you feel comfortable with it, though."

Suddenly remembering Regan's message, Trixie burst out, "Oh, Regan said for us to tell you that he'd like you to come up for dinner tonight. He's out with Strawberry right now, so if you want to come back with us, you can help with the clubhouse first and then head over to his apartment."

Jim noticed the tension under Dan's smile and felt a wave of empathy for the newest BWG. He clearly remembered the awkward, unsure, nervousness that came with being the new kid. He remembered it because to some degree, he was still experiencing it himself. He knew that Dan wouldn't want to talk about that with Trixie standing right there, so he said, "Say, Trix - if you want to give Mr. Maypenny a hand with those traps, I'll hang on to Susie for you."

"Sure, Jim!" She said brightly, passing Susie's reins to him and jogging off after the elderly gamekeeper.

Feeling awkward but determined that this was the right thing to do, Jim spoke, "So ... how's country life treating you?"

Dan flashed him a rueful smile. "Better each day. Boy, you can take a guy out of the city, but it's really hard to get the city out of him! I'm used to being able to hit a diner at midnight if I want to - here in Sleepyside, things actually close. Not to mention that you really need a car to get anywhere except Mr. Lytell's store."

Jim nodded sympathetically. "I'm used to the country, but it was still a little rough getting settled in. Every now and then I have to pinch myself to make sure it's real. Now that you're a Bob-White, the station wagon is at your disposal as well - if you need a ride, ask me or Brian, and we'll get you where you need to go. Between the wagon and his jalopy, we manage to get where we need to. When do you get your license?"

"Not for several months. And, I'm not too sure that Uncle Bill is going to let me do much driving, if he even lets me get my license before I'm 18. He doesn't trust cars at all, and I know he doesn't trust me."

There was no self-pity in Dan's voice, but something about the matter-of-fact tone of his voice bothered Jim. Regan was a good guy. He had helped Jim so much with adjusting to his new life and was always willing to listen to him. Why was it that Regan was so good with a random adopted runaway like him, and so clueless when it came to his own nephew? Did he really not trust Dan, even after all he had done to make up for his less than stellar choices in the past? He hated to think so. After talking to Regan today, it seemed more to him like Regan was unsure of how to interact with his nephew. _You can help with this, Frayne. You can help them fix it. Just don't freeze up!_

His inner monologue spurred him to action. "I don't think it's that. I think he's just been a guy without a family for so long that he doesn't know how to go from that to being a guy with a nephew to look out for. I mean, he's pretty young, if you think about it. He can't be thirty yet."

Dan nodded. "I like him, and I'm really glad he brought me here, but I can't help but wonder if he was actually happy to hear he had a nephew, or if I'm just some kind of burden - a wild kid who might bolt back to New York at any given moment." He paused, taking in Jim's s surprised expression. "Don't worry, man. I'm not even thinking about bolting. Old Maypenny's been pretty cool, opening his home up to a stranger like he did. Sometimes I forget for a moment that _he's_ not the one related to me. Even my mom didn't badger me to eat the way Mr. Maypenny does!"

Off in the near distance, they could hear some clattering as Mr. Maypenny and Trixie moved things around in the storage barn to find the humane trap for the raccoon. Trixie's voice was clear, sailing through the air as she chattered away with the old gamekeeper. "And then Mart called me an 'impetuous harridan', and he thought I didn't know what those words meant, but I knew - someone called Lucy Radcliffe that same thing in one of my Lucy mysteries. I told him to take a prolonged sojourn from an abbreviated wharf. I'm really glad I got that thesaurus for my English class this year!"

Dan burst out with a short guffaw. "I would have loved to have seen Mart's face when she pulled that one out!"

"Me too. Trix has a mind like a steel trap, as long as she's interested in what she's doing."

They listened for a moment, trying to hear the rest of the conversation. Mr. Maypenny was smiling as he listened to Trixie talk. "I'll bet young Martin liked that! What did he say?"

"Nothing, Mr. Maypenny. He didn't say anything at all!"

At this, the gamekeeper laughed. "I'll bet he didn't. Ah, here it is! Why don't you run this over to the boys while I get Spartan saddled and ready to go?"

"Okay! Thanks, Mr. Maypenny. I'm not usually a scaredy-cat about animals, but that raccoon was so - so big, and I really didn't expect it to be there, and - "

" - and what, Trixie?"

"And I kind of screamed. Shrieked, really. And I didn't expect anybody to be there, but when I opened the door, Jim was right there. Do you think he thinks I'm chicken now?"

Jim suddenly felt guilty for listening in, and judging from Dan's expression, he did too. Dan shook his head. "I don't think Trixie's scared of anything! I mean, the way she went right into that cave after Bobby, even though there was a catamount on the prowl ... let's just say I was envisioning myself as kitty treats!"

Nodding his agreement, Jim said, "She's pretty unflappable. _I _sure wasn't about to wrangle an angry raccoon out of the clubhouse!"

For just a moment, Jim followed Dan's gaze over to where Trixie was jogging toward them, humane trap in hand, and felt a twinge - _okay_, he allowed, _more than just a twinge_ of jealousy. _Geez, way to be a jerk, Frayne. He's just looking at her, and it's not like you're dating or anything ..._

He banished his jealousy and summoned a smile for Trixie as she approached, blissfully unaware that her conversation had been overheard.


	3. Chapter 3

Relocation Part III  
By Elizabeth Goode

The first stop when they reached the Manor House grounds was the stables. Mr. Maypenny wanted to enlist Regan's help with the raccoon situation, and he needed to borrow some work gloves for handling the baby raccoons. Dan, Jim, and Trixie helped Regan settle the horses, while Mr. Maypenny dug in the supply closet for some extra things they might need.

Trixie brushed Susie's silky mane gently, while Jim concentrated on putting away Jupiter's tack. Dan hovered awkwardly for a moment, his eyes on Regan, as if waiting for some kind of instruction. Trixie didn't notice, her attention focused on making Susie as comfortable as possible, but Jim did. He saw Regan hesitate slightly, start to say something to his nephew, and then stop, abruptly going back to help Mr. Maypenny in his search for gloves. _Well, if you don't do it, who will? You can't just let him stand there, Frayne._

Jim turned to Dan, holding out Jupiter's saddle. "Would you mind giving me a hand with this? Jupe's a lot bigger than Susie, and Trix is going to be done a lot faster than me at this rate."

Dan seemed relieved. "Sure. Just tell me what to do - I'm still a novice with the horse stuff."

"There's no time like the present to learn! See that comb over there? That's for grooming the horses after they're ridden. You start with the mane, and make sure that there aren't any snarls. Then, you work on the horse's body. Never step into their blind spot - it's a good way to get kicked in the - well, you get the picture."

When Regan came back into the stable, he found the horses neatly groomed and the three teenagers finishing up with cleaning the tack. Mr. Maypenny followed Regan, equipped with several pairs of gloves, the humane trap, and an extra horse blanket to use to cover the cage to reduce the trapped animal's stress.

Regan carried a small container of oats to use as bait. "Raccoons eat oats, right?"

Trixie laughed. "Raccoons will eat anything that's food and some things that aren't, just for spite. Like library books."

She took the oats and followed Dan and Mr. Maypenny in the direction of the clubhouse.

Jim caught up with Regan as Dan and Trixie disappeared around the bend in the driveway. He cleared his throat, willing himself to say something helpful.

To his surprise, Regan spoke first. "I saw what you did for Danny, showing him how to take care of the horses. Thanks for that. Kid needs friends like you and Honey and the Beldens."

Shrugging, Jim replied, "No problem. Dan's a cool guy. He's interested in country stuff like horses and whatever wood-chopping, squirrel-stew eating antics Mr. Maypenny gets up to, but he just doesn't have the outdoor experience the rest of us have yet." Jim grinned, running a hand through his red hair self-consciously. "I mean, my dad was a naturalist. I could identify birds by the time I was five. The Beldens are as comfortable in a barn as they are in a house, and even Honey had to go to those camps where they taught her how to swim and ride and make weird little houses out of toothpicks –" He stopped, suddenly aware that he was rambling.

"And Danny was living in the city with no such luck. I get what you're saying, Jim. I guess my plan worked out a little too well after all. Danny's crazy about Mr. Maypenny, but he barely talks to me." The redheaded groom stuffed his hands into his pockets in frustration. "Heck, kiddo – why is it that me and you get along like peas and carrots and my own nephew is like an out-of-place chunk of eggplant on the plate?"

Jim was relieved that he hadn't had to start the conversation, but still felt tongue-tied and awkward. "Um, I guess it's because we have a lot more in common than red hair and an appreciation for horses and the outdoors. We both ran away. Who knows what would have happened if we'd stayed put? Maybe we would have ended up in gangs or jail or – or in foster care if we hadn't."

Regan nodded thoughtfully. "So, you think Dan thinks that I think he should have run like you did instead of staying and getting into trouble like he did?"

He had to grin at Regan's train of reasoning. Trixie and Honey's unique brand of deduction was rubbing off on everyone, it seemed. If Regan said, "perfectly perfect," he might not be able to stop himself from howling with laughter.

"Yeah, that might be part of it."

"Part of it? What's the rest, then?"

Jim chewed his lower lip thoughtfully. "I guess he might feel like you like me better than him. And the Beldens."

Regan protested, "I don't like you and the Beldens better! It's just that you kids TALK! Heck, Trixie never stops! When I ask you questions, you tell me about school and any troubles you might be having. Dan gives me a "fine" and that's the end!"

Down the road ahead of them, Trixie and Dan burst out laughing at something Mr. Maypenny had said. Trixie clapped a hand on Dan's shoulder as if to congratulate him for something, and Jim felt that unpleasant but familiar twinge of jealousy again. It made him feel like a jerk, which didn't help when he was _trying_ to help the guy out. He took a deep breath and continued, "I didn't used to talk – not with Jonesy, not to other people more than I could help either."

Regan looked thoughtful. "That makes sense. Do you think I should push harder for more answers?"

Jim frowned at Dan and Trixie's backs for a moment. Whatever it was that Dan had said was apparently the funniest thing Mr. Maypenny and Trixie had ever heard. Trixie skipped ahead for a moment, then turned around to talk to both Dan and Mr. Maypenny while walking backwards. She was telling them some kind of story, Jim could tell by the gestures she was making. She pointed at the lake, then the boat, then made a circular motion with her hands. She was explaining to Dan about the Water Witch and how it only went in circles … _jeez, Frayne! Maybe you can get a degree in Trixie sign-language instead of in education and psychology …_

"Well? Should I?"

Regan's question brought him back to the conversation. "Should you what?"

"Try harder to get Dan to talk to me?"

"Yeah, but don't push him too hard for answers. I don't know him as well as the Beldens, but I don't think he's wired like me. Pushing me to talk gets me to spit out whatever's wrong most of the time, but Dan's different. He's kind of like Brian in that he seems like he wants to think about things before he talks. And he's kind of like Honey too - trying too hard might scare him away."

Regan crossed his arms. "Let me get this straight. I should push more but not too much, try not to sound critical … what the heck am I supposed to SAY to the kid?"

Jim suggested tentatively, "Why don't you show him how to ride and take care of the horses? I mean, I know he wants to learn. And maybe you could ask him about school and stuff instead of asking Mr. Maypenny about it later?"

Regan looked sheepish. "You're a perceptive fellow. I'll bet you're about as observant as Trixie when you put your mind to it."

Feeling his face flush hot at the praise, Jim mumbled, "Nobody notices as much as Trix. She can remember a license plate number she's only glanced at for a second!"

Ahead of them, Trixie, Dan, and Mr. Maypenny had reached the clubhouse. By the time Jim and Regan caught up with them, the old gamekeeper was handing out gloves and giving last-minute pointers on how to avoid being scratched by the baby raccoons.

"Bill, I was just telling Trixie and Dan, and Jim, you probably know this already – don't touch the babies with your bare hands, hold them firmly but gently, and don't come in until I've given the all-clear. Ready?"

Jim pulled on a pair of work gloves to match Trixie and Dan's. He gave Dan a friendly clap on the shoulder. "Ready for some country critter wranglin', city boy?"

Dan laughed. "As I'll ever be. If I cower behind you it's just because I'm too young and too pretty to lose an eye to a wild animal attack. Maybe you could rock an eye patch, but I'm not sure that's my scene."

Laughing, Trixie remarked, "I don't know, Honey and I saw a pirate flick the other day at the Cameo, and the main pirate had an eye patch, and he wasn't hard to look at."

Her casual comment had the effect of making the ugly, green-eyed monster Jim had been pushing down roar to life yet again. _It's just a comment about a movie. Get a grip, Frayne! We're all kids, no one's doing anything serious. _He managed a dry chuckle. _It's not Dan's fault. Just be friends with the guy, and stop being a jerk, Frayne!_

Mr. Maypenny slipped the baited live trap into the clubhouse and closed the door.

"So … what do we do now?" Regan asked.

"We wait," Mr. Maypenny stated.


End file.
